Limerence is described as “an intense psychological state of obsessive longing for another person … characterised by intrusive thoughts, emotional dependency and a powerful desire for reciprocation. Unlike ordinary attraction or infatuation, limerence involves obsession, emotional volatility and disruption to daily life.”

Nguyen approaches the term through a distinctly queer lens, using colourful oil portraits and tasteful nudes to explore intimacy, imperfection, projection and idealisation. Selections of mushrooms and other organic materials are woven in to hint at the transformation and decay that accompany intense romantic desire.

Born in Saigon and raised in America, Thom Nguyen held his first solo exhibition in Vietnam, “Nước | Water Resistance,” at A. Farm last year. That collection of oil paintings, sculptures, installations and fashion works considered queer bodies in the context of water’s ability to shift identity.

In 2026, he co‑founded Permanently Closed Gallery with his husband Michael Bell to support emerging queer artists. The gallery has presented projects such as Nothing to See Here, Nothing to See There, ACHI’s Peach Garden, Lyon Nguyen’s performance SWEET and Yellow Fever’s The Scent of Pipe.